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For Bellingham to hopes to earn his place back into England’s best starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that he was going up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him given that there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the squad recently. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to his substitution as England rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on how the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given England organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking came after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.